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Mozambique: ENI and ExxonMobil to open four wells off the Zambezi delta

The Italian energy company ENI and the US oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil plan to open four exploratory wells next year, off the Zambezi delta and near the town of Angoche, in the northern province of Nampula, according to Carlos Zacarias, chairperson of the National Petroleum Institute (INP), cited by the independent television station STV.

The blocks concerned were among those covered by the fifth licensing round, launched by the government in 2014. Contracts were signed in 2018 with the companies that won the blocks.

ENI was awarded Area 5A off the shore of Angoche. The neighbouring block, Angoche Area 5B went to Exxon Mobil. Two Zambezi Delta blocks (A5C and A5D) were also awarded to ExxonMobil.

Zacarias said that, from the work done so far, there is no doubt that natural gas is present in these areas.

He expected investment of approximately 700 million dollars in the Angoche and Zambezi Delta areas, culminating in drilling at least 10 wells, eight of them in deep water.

Preceding this work will be the acquisition of 3,000 kilometres of 2D seismic data and 18,400 square kilometres of 3D seismic data.

Zacarias also announced that the INP is preparing a sixth international round of oil and gas exploration.